Joe Gomez faces acid test against Jamie Vardy and Leicester

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez faces a tough test on Boxing Day. The Reds travel to Leicester to play our closest title rivals in a must-win match.

Jamie Vardy has been in prolific form so far this season and will be a true test of the young defenders newly found form.

Will he be able to contain Jamie Vardy and shut down Leicester City?

(Photo by David Ramos – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Jurgen Klopp has been managing a defensive crisis over the past couple of weeks. Joel Matip has been ruled out for some time and currently has no set return date. Dejan Lovren picked an injury last week that ruled him out of the Club World Cup. For one match, Jordan Henderson had to step into the back four as Virgil van Dijk struggled with an illness.

All this upheaval has been good for Gomez, who has finally managed to get a consistent run of games. Before the busy December period began, the England international was frozen out of the Liverpool side. The German boss had relegated the 22-year-old to fourth choice centre back.

When he did play, he looked rusty, unsure and seriously lacked confidence. That unhappy period appears to be behind him and there is no reason why he can’t keep his spot in the Liverpool first-team.

However, the Reds’ next game will be the biggest test any defender can face. The 32-year-old goal-scoring machine Jamie Vardy has been in peak form since Brendan Rodgers took charge of the Foxes. So far, he has scored 26 goals in 28 games under the former Liverpool boss.

He is also the league’s runaway top scorer with 17 goals to his name, six more than his nearest rival. How Gomez deals with the occasion will show if the Liverpool defender is truly back to his best. If he can keep Vardy quiet, he can shine against anyone and will have earned his spot alongside Van Dijk as we head into 2020.